Finance Function Transformation for a Multinational SaaS in Europe

Finance Function Transformation for SaaS: Client Overview

A global technology provider operating as a SaaS business engaged Malander Advisory to lead a strategic finance function transformation project across its European operations. With a diverse customer base spanning commercial transport, logistics, and industrial sectors, the organisation manages thousands of supplier relationships and processes a high volume of monthly transactions across several European countries.

The client’s revenue streams and cost structures are both complex and regionally nuanced. While growth and market presence across Europe had increased, the finance function—particularly the creditors process—was becoming a bottleneck for efficiency, reporting accuracy, and supplier trust.

The Problem: Scaling Challenges in a Fragmented Finance Function

Despite having mature ERP infrastructure and technically skilled finance teams, the client’s European operations faced growing pressures tied to volume, complexity, and compliance. These challenges had begun to affect day-to-day performance, stakeholder relationships, and long-term audit readiness.

Fragmented Regional Finance Processes

Each European business unit operated its own version of the creditors process. Invoice approvals, payment timelines, document storage, and escalation protocols varied widely. This inconsistency led to duplicated efforts, bottlenecks, and unpredictable processing cycles—especially during peak financial periods.

Supplier Relationship Strain

Frequent delays and inconsistent payment cycles created frustration among suppliers. Many of these vendors played essential roles in the company’s logistics and service delivery network. The lack of process reliability and visibility was eroding vendor trust and introducing operational risk.

Compliance and Reporting Exposure

The decentralised structure made it difficult to adhere to evolving European regulatory requirements. Key audit findings included inadequate documentation trails, weak approval controls, and misalignment in financial reporting standards across entities.

ERP Underperformance and Manual Workarounds

Although a central ERP system had been deployed across the business, inconsistent configuration, limited training, and lack of performance tuning meant many users reverted to manual processes or external spreadsheets. This undermined data integrity and prevented meaningful consolidation at the group level.

Our Approach: Finance Function Transformation Strategy

Malander Advisory was engaged to lead a focused finance transformation project—not as an outsourcing provider, but as an embedded advisory partner delivering hands-on, practical solutions. The project was structured across four key phases:

Cross-Regional Diagnostic Review

We conducted a comprehensive audit of creditors processes across all European entities. This included:

• End-to-end process mapping.
• Stakeholder interviews and on-site workshops.
• Identification of inefficiencies, control gaps, and system usage challenges.

The diagnostic confirmed that fragmentation and localised workarounds were the root cause of many issues—from delays to audit risks.

Design and Standardisation of a Unified Finance Process

Working alongside regional finance leaders, Malander designed a standardised creditors process framework tailored for multi-entity operations. This included:

• Harmonised approval workflows and authority levels.
• Consolidated payment scheduling and reporting cycles.
• Regionally compliant documentation and control procedures.

Technical Accounting and ERP Support for Transformation

Our team provided strategic guidance on technical accounting treatments and compliance alignment. In parallel, we worked with internal IT and finance systems teams to:

• Optimise ERP workflows and remove redundant steps.
• Configure automated alerts for overdue approvals.
• Improve reporting outputs for audit and internal review purposes.

Training and Transition Management

We delivered structured training and clear documentation to regional teams, ensuring smooth adoption of the new process framework. The project also included governance oversight through weekly steering meetings and a phased rollout to manage change effectively.

Finance Function Transformation Results

• 40% Reduction in Processing Time
  Faster invoice handling, quicker approvals, and fewer late payment incidents.
• 90% Decrease in ERP Downtime
  System enhancements restored reliability and increased user confidence.
• Supplier Relationship Recovery
  Timely payments and improved communication helped rebuild trust and reduce escalations.
• Audit and Compliance Readiness
  Documentation, controls, and reporting are now aligned with EU financial standards.
• Greater Collaboration Across Teams
  Regional finance units now operate with a shared framework and clearer accountability, enabling smoother month-end close and group reporting.

Conclusion

This engagement illustrates how Malander Advisory’s Accounting Advisory and Finance Project Services help multinational companies navigate operational complexity and regulatory expectations with clarity and structure. By focusing on fit-for-purpose solutions—rather than full system replacements or outsourcing—we helped the client create a more resilient, compliant, and scalable finance environment.